Chapter 2: Shipping without Going Postal
In This Chapter
- Understanding the overall shipping process
- Checking out different shippers
- Signing up with FedEx
- The good ol' United States Postal Service
- Using UPS
- Shipping directly from eBay and PayPal
The best part of an eBay business is making the sale and receiving payment. After that comes the somewhat tedious process of fulfilling your orders. You shouldn't feel bad if this is the point that makes you pause and sigh. Order fulfillment is one of the biggest challenges that face any online enterprise.
But as an eBay entrepreneur, you must attend to these tasks, however much you'd rather not. In this chapter, you explore your shipping options. I give you the lowdown on the three major carriers — FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service — so you can see who fits your requirements. (For the scoop on insurance coverage, see Chapter 3 in this minibook.)
Shipping: The Heart of Your Business
Shipping can be a make-or-break point for eBay sellers. Being expert at knowing the correct carrier, box size, and packaging will affect your bottom line. Even if the selling portion of your transaction goes flawlessly, the purchased item has to get to the buyer in one piece. If it doesn't, the deal could be ruined — and so could your reputation.
U.S. postage at a big discount!
I just had to share this with you! The figure shows a picture of an envelope I received for an eBay purchase. I had to e-mail the seller to find out how and why she used so many ...
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